Xwilliam d dulles



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l. W. DULLES, Jr.

ELECTRIC DISPATCH TUBE. No. 394,161. Patented Dec. 11, 1888.

WETNESSE INVENTOR N. PETERS, Phatn-Lilhegraphun,Waxhingmn. D.C

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. W. DULLES, Jr.

ELECTRIC DISPATCH TUBE.

No. 394,161. Patented Dec. 11, 1888.

N. PETERS. Phnko-Lllhographcr, vushmglcm 0v 0 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

lVILLIAM DULLES, JR, OF NEXV YORK, l Y.

ELECTRIC DISPATCH-TUBE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,161, dated. December 11, 1888.

Application filed April 14, 1888.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM DULLEs, .Ir., a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Dispatch-lllubes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to an electric dispatchtube, or what may be more generally termed a system of rapid transfer, between points at a distance from one another; and it has for its object to furnish a means whereby articles of merchandise, mail matter, and the like may be transferred between points of considerable distance in a very rapid manner, which means shall be comparatively simple and inexpensive to construct and maintain, and shall be capable of being controlled and operated at a small cost.

To these ends my present invention consists in the manner of constructing and arranging the tube or way and the motor or vehicle on the way, substantially as hereinafter more particularly described.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side view, partially in section, showing a portion of the system with a motor or vehicle therein. Fig. 2 is aplan view, also partially in section, of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing details, and Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section of the way. Fig. 5 is a similar view of a double way.

In carrying out a system of rapid transit such as is referred to there are several problems to be considered, and one of these is to provide a suitable way or tube for the purpose of carrying the motor or vehicle, and while I am aware that dispatch-tubes are not new, broadly considered, I have illustrated herein a tube which is admirably adapted for the purpose described.

The tube must be made of sufficient strength to withstand exposure to the elements, and l have shown the tube A as being made up of sections B of boiler-iron or other equivalent materialsuch as cast-iron and the likesupported at intervals by standards or yokes C. These standards or yokes will of course be made in various shapes and forms to ac oommodate themselves to the particular po- Serial No. 270,628. (No model.)

sition in which they are placed, and I have only illustrated what may be called a typical yoke in the drawings, which may be made of cast or wrought iron, or other material, and secured to a suitable base, D, and adapted to support the ends of these tubes 13 and furnish a means for joining and securing them together.

I have shown the tube as being cylindrical,

other shape of tube, in that it will accommodate the largest motor or vehicle and at the same. time present the strongeststructure; but it is evident that other forms of tubes may be used when the nature of the case will allow.

One of the most serious objections to the passage of a motor or vehicle through such a tube at a rapid rate is found in the resistance of the air in the tube to such motor, and while variousmeans have been proposed to overcome this objectionsuch as by creating a draft through the tube at a rapid rate, substantially that of the travelin motor, or exhausting the air before the motor, and other plans-I have found that by having an opening in some portion of the tube which extends practically throughoutits length, so that there will be free circulation of air into and out of the tube from the surrounding atmosphere, this objection can be substantially overcome without the necessary expenditure in maintaining this circulation of the air. I have therefore provided a longitudinal opening, E, through the tube, which is preferably arranged in the lower portion thereof, and which may be covered by some foraminous materialsuch as wire-netting and the like and this serves to prevent foreign substances getting into the tubc,which might obstruct or interfere with the passage of the motor, and at the same time allows a free circulation of air. \Vhile I prefer to have this opening extend throughout the tube, it is not absolutely necessary, as the opening maybe arranged at suitable distances apartwherever convenience may indicate, the only requisite being that they shall be of such size and so located as to prevent undue pressure or resistance from the air in the tube upon the rapidlytraveling vehicle.

One of the most serious difficulties to be overcome in rapid transit, especially where two rails or conductors are used and a motor provided with wheels travels 011 said conductors, is to maintain the two rails in perfect alignment, as very slight depressions or differences in the level of one rail from another will disturb the balance of the rapidly-traveling motor and offer a very considerable resistance thereto. More than that, in passing curves the friction and pressure upon the wheels of the motor are very considerable, and this also interferes to a great extent with rapid transit. I have therefore adopted a single-rail system as the preferred embodiment of my invention, for in such a system slight depressions or inequalities in the rail do notaffect the rapid transist to any material extent, and, further, in passing curves there is not nearly the same amount of friction and resistance to the vehicle as when two rails are used.

I have shown in the drawings a single supporting-conductor, F, which is mounted upon suitable supports within the tube, and in the event of the use of electricity as the motive power, as I propose, it is necessary to insulate this conductor from the surrounding tube, and I therefore provide a base-plate, G, of insulating material or some equivalent and well-known means for producing this effect. In order to produce the best effects in such a system of rapid transit, it is desirable that the motor should be simple and compact in construction and capable of rapid propulsion, and that the weight of the motor should be evenly distributed, so that it should be balanced on either sideof the central supporting-wheel. I have shown in the accompanying drawings a motor having a main frame, H, in which are mounted two electric motors, I I, one upon each side of an intermediate driving-wheel, J, which latter is as large as can conveniently be used inside of the tube. This wheel J is provided with double flanges j j, and is shown as geared directly to the armature-shaft K of the electric motors, and this shaft is supported in journals in the sides of the frame II. In this way I avoid a multiplicity of bearings for the shafts and axles, and by using a comparatively large wheel and connecting it directly to the shaft of the rapidly-revolving armatures I am enabled to attain a very considerable speed of travel and an exceedingly simple construction of motor.

To assist in maintaining the motor in its upright position, I provide one or more wheels, L, which are arranged to bear upon a conductor, M, supported in the upper portion of the tube, and these wheels are mounted upon spring arms or supports N, secured to the frames of the motors, and they not only serve to guide the motor, but as conductors for the electricity used in propelling the motor, which passes through the springs and rollers to the conductor M, and thence to the structure itself or to ground.

WVhile the motor may be constructed as above indicated, I prefer in practice to extend the frame H and employ a supporting-wheel, 0, also arranged to run upon the conductor F, to serve to maintain the motor in a stable condition, and I may also make use of a11- other guide-wheel, L, also held in a springsupport, N, although this arrangement is not absolutely necessary.

The goods or parcels to be carried may be supported in any desired manner upon the vehicle, and I have shown, for the purposes of illustration, a box or receiver, P, supported between the sides of the frame H and between the motor and the supporting-wheel 0.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that when the traffic would justify the expense the tube may be made so as to acco1nmodate a double track, as indicated in Fig. 5, 011 which the motors may travel in opposite directions; but in such case the trouble arising from the resistance of the air will not be so great, and the openings in the tube can therefore be smaller and less frequent. The tube may also be utilized to contain the'rods or other connections for the necessary switch and signaling devices of the system, and, if desired, telegraph or other wires may be run through the tube, and thus be protected from the elements without in any way interfering with the dispatch system. I have not illustrated herewith the switch and signaling system; but it is evident that some one of the well-known systems may be used, and, if electric, may be operated from the current used to propel the motors.

Vhile I have thus specifically described the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, it will be evident that it may be varied without departing from the principles thereof; and it is further evident that the elements of the invention maybe used together or separately and in connection with other and equivalent portions without departing from the spirit thereof.

hat I claim is 1. A dispatch-tube provided with a longitudinal opening covered with foraminous material, substantially as described.

2. A dispatch-tube consisting of a cylinder supported on suitable yokes and having a 1011- gitudinal opening, in combination with conductors arranged in the upper and lower portion of the tube, substantiully as described.

3. A dispatch-tube consisting of a cylinder supported on suitable yokes and'having a longitudinal opening in the bottom thereof covered with foraminous material, a bearing-conductor supported above said foraminous material, and a guiding-conductor supported in the top of the tube, substantially as described.

4. In combination with a dispatch-tube having a single bearing-conductor, a motor having a single propelling-wheel, electric motors for driving the wheel, the wheel being attached directly to the armature-shaft of the motors, substantially as described.

the Wheel, a carrying-wheel, a receptacle for the goods supported in said frame, and guidewheels supported in elastic bearings, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

\VM. DULLES, JR.

Vitnesses:

RICHD. KING, JOHN LEONARD. 

